Assassin Bug from Brazil

Subject: Assassin Bug Location: Uberlandia, Brazil March 6, 2013 5:56 am I woke up and when I got up from bed I felt a weird burn/sting on my knee, under my pajama pants. I stich a little thinking it was a regular psichological stich, when i got stronger pain. I though it could be small ants, so i took off my pants and saw this bug, which looks like an assassin bug. I have 3 marks on my knee. What bug is this? It kinda looks like the Orange Corsair Assassin Bug, But it is main black, with some white on some parts os its ”legs” and the only orange are its wings, or what looks like. See pics below. What bug could it be? Would it be dangerous, and carry chagas or any other deseases? Thanks! Signature: Daniel Zorzo

Assassin Bug

Dear Daniel, This is a species of Assassin Bug, and it might be in the genus Rasahus which includes the Corsairs. Corsairs along with most Assassin Bugs are harmless, though many species will bite if provoked, carelessly handled, or encountered accidentally. Corsairs are prone to biting quicker than most other Assassin Bugs, but they do not act as vectors for Chagas Disease. Chagas Disease is spread by Blood Sucking Conenose Bugs.

3 Responses to Assassin Bug from Brazil

Thanks for the quick response! To add information here for future users, I took the Assassin bug to a zoonosis center in my city and the professional told me that this is a Predator class/family of assassin bug, which only eats other insects. Also he confirmed what you posted, that it is harmless and the bite was some sort of defense mechanism. It does not carry chagas desease. Thanks again!